AN ARSONIST who was “fascinated” with the fire service was put behind bars for starting a blaze which spread to two homes.

Witnesses described Liam Finnie as “excited” and “giddy” when fire crews arrived to tackle the fire he had started outside his Crosby home.

The 22-year-old already had previous convictions for four hoax calls and torching a wheelie bin when he set light to a motorbike in his garden, which then spread to his own home and a neighbouring property.

Liverpool crown court heard neighbour Lorraine Billington was inside her home in Brooke Road West with her two teenage children when they smelled smoke and saw a “huge orange flame shoot across the kitchen window”. When she fled, Finnie was outside.

Iain Criddle, prosecuting, said: “He seemed to be excited by the fire. It was as if he was giving a commentary as the windows were exploding. He became more excited as the fire engines arrived.”

In interview, Finnie, who admitted arson being reckless to whether life was endangered, said he was tipsy and wanted to see the fire brigade come.

Judge Robert Warnock told Finnie he had “carefully considered” whether he should impose an indefinite sentence for the public protection, adding: “Understand this – it was a very close call.”

Jailing him for three years, the judge said: “The consequences were horrendous – horrendous for your neighbours, horrendous for your own family.”